The 2024 federal budget is here, laying out the government’s plan for the nation for the next 12 months and beyond. Crikey has rounded up the headlines from across the media landscape.
ABC
ABC News’ top stories the morning post-budget were led by an analysis from Annabel Crabb: “The budget sets up a climate debate that, for the first time in a long time, might actually be about something.”
Other top stories included “Why is the government’s energy bill relief going to every household?” and “Australia’s housing crisis in 10 graphs, from the federal budget”.
The ABC’s live blog at the time of writing led with the headline: “‘Deficits as far as the eye can see’: Treasurer says budget made ‘good progress’ despite inherited debt”.
Daily Mail Australia
The morning after the budget was revealed, Daily Mail Australia led with the splash “BRACE FOR JIMFLATION”, describing it as “Albo’s last chance budget” — not dissimilar to the Herald Sun’s headline the day before: “BEWARE OF JIMFLATION”.
The accompanying headline read: “Australians react with fury to Jim Chalmers’ budget as voters say they DON’T want $300 energy rebate and treasurer is torn apart on live TV… while experts issue a VERY concerning warning.”
The graphic also included an inset tweet from Hayden O’Connor, a Climate 200 staffer, who described the $300 energy rebate as “lazy and reckless policy”.
The splash then shifted at 10am to “BUDGET BACKLASH”, with the accompanying headline: “Anthony Albanese fires back as Aussies slam his government over $300 energy rebate amid warnings key budget announcement will make cost of living crisis WORSE: ‘Chucking money left and right'”.
Guardian Australia
At the time of writing, Guardian Australia’s splash on its homepage led with Jacqui Lambie’s forceful response to the budget.
“Energy rebate under fire as Lambie accuses government of being ‘too lazy to do some means testing’, was the headline, with Lambie pictured in front of independent Senator David Pocock.
Other associated headlines on the Guardian Australia splash included:
- “Cost of living budget: Labor announces $300 energy rebates, cheaper medicines and rent relief” and
- “Spending ramps up: Budget delivers minor surplus but deficits loom over economy”
News Corp
The morning after the budget was revealed, the Herald Sun led with “CHALMED AND DANGEROUS”, outlining the “short-term relief” and “long-term grief” that the budget would bring (similar to Perth’s West Australian, which ran “LUCKY CHALM” the day before the budget).
The Daily Telegraph was more parochial: “WHAT’S UP, DOC? Everything… except Jim’s cash for NSW”.
Around the country, News Corp’s national broadsheet The Australian led the day before the budget with: “True Labor’s avoidable spend”. The morning after, it led with: “BUNG IT ON AFTERPAY”, as well as a front-page column by editor-at-large Paul Kelly who declared “Labor’s vision is loaded with risk”.
News’ top digital masthead news.com.au led with: “UBER-RICH BUDGET WIN: Double dipper shock after PM hit with big question”, picturing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese next to mining billionaire Gina Rinehart and a beachside getaway home.
The story linked to an exclusive by political editor Samantha Maiden headlined: “Double dipper: Billionaires will be able to claim multiple $300 energy rebates if they own more than one home”.
Over on Sky News Australia, their website led the morning after with: “PM refuses to rule out whether budget could trigger early election”.
Nine newspapers
The day before the budget, The Australian Financial Review led with: “Miners hope to be big winners”. The next day it ran a cartoon depicting a deficit dragon with a jockey-like Jim Chalmers using the “reins” of the government’s “Future Made in Australia” policy to control the beast with the headline: “Spending addiction fuels a new decade of deficits”. The masthead also ran an editorial titled: “Too much red ink”.
The day before the budget dropped, Melbourne’s The Age led with: “Hospitals won’t get any top-up funding” and post-budget settled on: “Balloons for everyone but no time to party”.
The morning after the budget, The Sydney Morning Herald led with a cartoon of a fire-breathing dragon, with the headline: “$300 TO ‘HELP TAME’ INFLATION DRAGON: Better off now, worse off later”.
Seven newspapers
Seven West Media run two major newspapers — Perth’s The West Australian, as well as the digital-only product The Nightly.
The day before the budget, The West used a similar pun to that which would be used by Melbourne’s News Corp paper, the Herald Sun: “LUCKY CHALM”, and the next day ran a cartoon of the treasurer on a Twister mat with the headline “MONEY SPINNER”.
In contrast, the Sydney-produced digital The Nightly, now helmed by former Australian editor-in-chief Chris Dore, was less colourful. The night before the budget, The Nightly ran a dark black and white photo of the treasurer alongside the headline “DELICATE DANCE”, referring to the challenges for Jim Chalmers in trying to “coerce our fragile economy from the shadows of crippling inflation”.
Once the budget was unveiled, The Nightly ran a special edition (it is usually published at 6pm Eastern time) headlined: “Future made in Australia: More spending, more debt, slow growth, higher taxes, higher unemployment, massive deficit, inflation”.
